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Caroline and Margo here. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’re here to give the people what they want: spicy, bingeable romances. So if you’re looking for the best way to stay warm this winter, might we suggest one of these sexy audiobooks?
Big Fan by Alexandra Romanoff
“It feels like everyone I know is obsessed with 831 Stories, a new romance imprint that specializes in romance-only novellas. Big Fan was the first release from them and it’s a fun take on the fantasy we’ve all had: actually ending up with your childhood boy band crush as an adult. This one is a quick listen at under five hours.” —Margo Ghertner
Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Sinner by Sierra Simone
“I’ve sung the praises of Sierra Simone before, and I’m here to do it again. Simone manages to balance highly creative sex scenes with character development and solid, occasionally virtuosic prose. Sinner is a standalone companion to Priest, aka the book that got me onto the smut train in the first place. This one follows Sean Bell, a work-obsessed playboy, and Zenny Iverson, an aspiring nun who happens to be Sean’s best friend’s younger sister. As you can imagine, Zenny does not adhere to the chastity virtue for long. I would highly recommend the audiobook version — it features Jacob Morgan, an erotica narrator who’s earned a loyal cult following. After listening to snippets of the audiobook, I, too, am in that cult.” —Caroline Goldstein
Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Flirting With Disaster by Naina Kumar
“I listened to this book in one sitting and can attest that it’s incredibly addicting. Its eerily similar plot to Sweet Home Alabama and nod to early 2000s rom-coms also made it a comforting read. When Meena, a high-powered lawyer, has found the perfect man to marry, there’s only one thing in her way: her estranged husband. Her 'easy fix' is to return to her Texas hometown for the day to get him to sign her divorce papers. An impending hurricane ruins those plans. The forced proximity, second chance romance of it all puts it high on the spice scale for me.” —Margo Ghertner
Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
“If you’re looking for dynamic character development, genuinely swoon-worthy romances, and a hint of spice, go for Abby Jimenez. I’ve read a handful of her books and have thoroughly enjoyed every single one. The Friend Zone is Jimenez’s first book, and it’s next on my audiobook list as it’s narrated by Teddy Hamilton, yet another romance/erotica narrator worth fangirling over. This one has a maid of honor-meets-best man wedding plot — not usually my thing, but where Abby Jimenez (and, okay, Teddy Hamilton) leads, I will follow.” —Caroline Goldstein
Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️
How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang
“If you’re looking for sexy, angsty romance, stop what you’re doing and read Yulin Kuang’s debut. ICYMI, she’s the screenwriter who’s been tasked with adapting Emily Henry’s coveted books to screenplays and her writing chops show. In it, Helen is the bestselling author of a teen drama series that’s now being turned into a TV show. On her first day in the writer’s room, she discovers that Grant, her high school enemy, is now one of the lead writers in said room. Think of all the flirty banter that comes from two hot writers who hate each other 👀.” —Margo Ghertner
Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Follow by Tessa Bailey
“Is this the best book Tessa Bailey has ever written? As a Tessa fan, I’m going to say no. Is it the hottest book she’s ever written? Um…yes. This is admittedly low on the character development/plot scale but very high on spice. The audiobook is *chef’s kiss*, thanks to dual narrators Mackenzie Cartwright and James Larceny. The plot might be secondary, but I do like the mafia romance vibes here. This follows Teresa Valentini, unwilling heiress to a gambling den family, and Will Caruso, another mob family heir-turned-finance-guy. Crazy chemistry between these two.” —Caroline Goldstein
Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Is She Really Going Out With Him? by Sophie Cousens
“This one is definitely on the tamer side, but the built-up ‘will they, won’t they’ tension between the two characters hits hard. When Anna’s staff writer position at Bath Living is on the line, she knows she has no choice but to shake things up. At the urging of her boss, she agrees to let her kids set her up on a few dates so she can write about them and (hopefully) save her column. If you’re looking for one that’s more of a rom-com packed with tension and a couple of noteworthy spice scenes, read this.” —Margo Ghertner
Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood
“Ali Hazelwood is another spicy romance writer I can’t stop talking about. You can’t go wrong with any of her novels, all of which feature women in STEM protagonists and typically have a grumpy-sunshine dynamic with their love interests. But I think Not in Love is her spiciest book, without sacrificing plot or her signature quippy humor. Here, we follow Rue Siebert, a biotech engineer at a food sciences startup, and Eli Kilgore, who’s angling to buy the company out. Heads up: Hazelwood’s forthcoming novel Deep End, her first foray into sports romance, is also very good and very spicy.” —Caroline Goldstein
Spice scale: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
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